Scott Olsen: People 'are surprised with how much I'm doing better'

"Occupy Oakland" sentimental figure Scott Olsen, the Iraq war veteran badly injured by a police tear gas canister in late October, appeared on Countdown Friday evening to discuss his improved health.

"Every time I run into somebody new I haven't seen in a while, they are surprised with how much I'm doing better," Olsen said to host Keith Olbermann. "Every time I check in with my doctors, every time I check with anybody - any friends - they see the change faster than I do."

When Olbermann asked him about the support nationwide, Olsen indicated how grateful he was.

"It's frustrating at times, but the support has been such a great help to me," he said. "Just going home and reading a new card, I still got a whole sect to get though. And support from vet groups like VFT or IVAW has been outstanding. And it's been helping me get way better."

Olsen vowed once again that he would rejoin the protests the minute his health improved enough for him to do so. And he described to Olbermann the reason why he joined "Occupy Oakland" in the first place.

"The community involved and the diversity of opinions," he said. "Everybody you talk to there is going to have a different opinion, and you can always learn something new by talking to someone else."

WATCH: Video from Current TV, which was broadcast on December 2, 2011.